Spencer Steps Up Attack Against Clinton On National Security

GOP senate candidate John Spencer released another ad attacking Hillary Clinton's positions on national security, repeating his oft-critized claim that Clinton voted against the Patriot Act.

(She voted in favor of the measure twice, but Spencer argues that her vote against ending debate on the extension of the act until some changes were made was tantamount to voting against it).

The ad hits Clinton not only on the Patriot Act but also on her vote on bunker-buster bombs and sanctions on Iraq.

The ad opens with a reference to Clinton's comments on Spencer's previous ad, which she called "beyond outrageous." Click here to see the ad.

Politics on the Hudson, the Journal News' political blog, published a response from the Clinton camp to the latest ad. The statement is from Clinton advisor Howard Wolfson:

"Leading Republicans and newspapers have already called Mr. Spencer's first video press release 'cheap' and 'wrong'. Message to candidate Spencer: digging yourself deeper in the same hole will not help your campaign.''


CLINTON, LAMONT TO TALK STRATEGY

The Associated Press reports Sen. Clinton will meet with Ned Lamont on Friday in New York. According to the AP, the two will discuss ways Clinton can help the Connecticut Democrat in his three-man race for the Senate.



NY1 SAYS TASINI A NO-SHOW AT THE POLLS

NY1, which has refused to host a debate between Sen. Clinton and her Democratic rival Jonathan Tasani, has an exclusive report out tonight saying Tasini failed to vote in nine elections in the past 14 years. In the report, if you haven't clicked on it yet, Tasini says some of the votes in question were cast by absentee ballot.

Tasini has made a huge to-do about not being invited to debate Clinton on NY1, and rightly so in my opinion. But it doesn't look good to complain about being denied access to the Democratic process and then not exercise the most basic right involved in that process.

Still, one also has to question NY1's motive in reporting the story.

The cable news channel rarely airs stories that require much digging. Checking out an individual's voting record over the past 14 years, I presume, required some research.

Also, if you look at the clip, NY1's reporter obviously spoke to Tasini about general topics involved in the race, but apparently not about the angle they intended to highlight -- the candidate's voting history.